There was a three-hour meeting of the bad boys club on stage at American Airlines Center Wednesday night, and thousands of screaming female fans turned up to witness it. I’m referring to the “Between the Sheets Tour,” starring headliners Chris Brown and Trey Songz with opening act Tyga. It seemed that the primary mission for each of these men was to seduce every woman in the place by singing and rapping about their coital proclivities.

Rather than take you through what turned out to be an overly long and winding evening of bedroom jams (the word “tantric” springs to mind), it’d make more sense to let the highlights of the evening unfurl in a frequently-asked-questions format. Let’s begin:

How was Tyga’s opening set, and did he mention reported flame Kylie Jenner?

The 25-year-old Cali rapper didn’t speak of his girlfriend at all. It might have killed the fantasy being created as he dedicated “Ayy Ladies” to the screaming crowd. He had them up and dancing throughout, and he never slowed down the pace. The backdrop for all the performers consisted of a large, two-level video wall. As Tyga paced the stage and pushed out verses from “Make It Nasty,” footage of women twerking on Spring Break accompanied him. He eventually made his way into the crowd (with a little help from security) while performing “Lapdance.” That song’s title tells you all you need to know.

Did Chris Brown and Trey Songz start their co-headlining set together on stage?

No, and I thought that was a missed opportunity. All the building drama of the 10-minute countdown clock went to waste. They should have appeared together to do a song or two and then started their trade-off format. Instead, we were treated to 11 songz of Trey.

Eleven whole songs before the crowd laid eyes on Chris Brown?

Yes, and at the risk of upsetting the many Trey fans in the house, I felt that it was five or six songs too many. As nimble as his voice may be, Trey just doesn’t fancy himself as much more than an unapologetic lothario. He was accompanied on most of his sensual hits by a gaggle of six female dancers who moved and dressed like strippers. From their French maid outfits to the way that Songz put his hands all over them (“choreography,” he might call it), these ladies spent a lot of time doing moves better suited to a champagne room than a pop stage.

Trey Songz and his dancers

Did Chris Brown have female dancers, too?

Nope, his dancers were male, and they were fully clothed. As everyone knows, the 25-year-old singer they accompanied has an, ah, complicated personal history regarding the opposite sex, so it was fortunate that he mostly showcased his amazing choreography and growing catalog of radio hits. Brown’s time on stage produced the most visceral thrills simply because he has pushed himself as a performer since he was a wee one. With occasional fog effects and lasers adding drama, he out-danced his whole crew during hits such as “Run it,” “Wall to Wall” and “Look at Me Now.” He did get dirty here and there, especially when he picked up a bra that was thrown on stage and smelled it. Yeah, I won’t tell you what he said after that.

Did Songz and Brown ever perform together?

Oh yes, and while it was my least favorite part of the show, it went over extremely well with their dressed-to-the-hilt diehards. For their joint time on stage, Brown and Songz took turns singing increasingly eye-roll-worthy slow jams about, yep, doin’ it. Brown made sweet love to the floor during “Take You Down.” Songz sang a tune called “Panty Droppa” — a clear candidate for the Library of Congress’ archives. After going back and forth for several turns, the two joined together on their R. Kelly-honoring duet, “Songs on 12 Play.”

How did the night end, in the way of encores?

First Songz came back and, over the course of three or four songs (“Bottoms Up” included), got more handsy with his dancers and peeled off layers of his own clothing. He’s fit — I’ll give him that. Brown shared his encore set with opener Tyga for the most celebratory moments of the night, as they did two hits from their just-released duet album Fan of a Fan. They displayed some actual chemistry on stage. I’d rather have seen those two share the headlining set. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that most in attendance treated the experience as a big-budget club outing, a chance to let loose. Sometimes it helps not to think too hard.

Ryan Bingham on Friday at South Side Ballroom. (Photos by Rose Baca/The Dallas Morning News)

It’s commonplace to stand in long and winding outdoor lines to get into the sprawling Gilley’s complex for concerts. I’m not sure why that’s the case, but at this point I accept it and use the time in line to assess whatever crowd has gathered for the event taking place.

On Friday night, with visions of Lucero and Ryan Bingham in their heads, boots-wearing urban cowfolk turned out in droves to the complex’s South Side Ballroom space, hooting and hollering in the line as though they’d pre-partied plenty. They had ‘em and they smoked ‘em. Staff warned that they were confiscating pocket knives. I could tell this was a rowdy group before I darkened the doorway.

On top of Friday night’s weather being the best we’d had all week, both advertised acts appealed to the beer-and-whiskey enthusiasts. Essentially, it was a perfect party storm; the place was packed.

Lucky for the few thousand restless concertgoers constantly hoisting tallboys into the air, the program offered a wide array of muscular roots music. After an opening set by Twin Forks (Chris Carrabba’s post-Dashboard-Confessional project), the five members of Lucero plus a horn combo came on and roared through 16 tunes of Memphis country-rock-soul stew.

After growling through the crowd-pleasing “Women & Work” and “On My Way Downtown,” Lucero’s skinny, stubbled frontman Ben Nichols spoke: “Friday night in Dallas? Ain’t no way I’m gonna be well behaved!”

The crowd up front took Nichols’ proclamation as a cue to hand him shots of hard liquor. He knocked one back like it was nothing after singing the twangy “Texas & Tennessee.” The next one didn’t go down as easily. He drank it and then promptly choked. “I think that last shot may have been a mistake,” he said.

Still, the stiff drinks might’ve been appropriate for the serious subject matter of both “Mom” and “The War” — both intimate and personal songs about family members’ hardscrabble lives. Nichols seemed almost apologetic about bringing down the mood temporarily: “I don’t mean to bum you out on a Friday night, but that is kind of my deal.”

By the end of Lucero’s set, though, they were back in high spirits, horns a-blaring and Nichols’ voice closely resembling that of Oscar the Grouch after a bender. The crowd, while chatty, showed great enthusiasm for these guys.

Yet the woo-hoos and spontaneous toasts intensified when the Texas-raised Bingham and his five-piece band took the stage. Laid-back and loose in a stylish feathered hat, the 33-year-old headliner kept the night’s overall mood celebratory: “We gonna get rowdy or what?”

His voice even more gravelly than Nichols’, Bingham still managed to sing with greater soul and control, proving why he deserved the night’s closing slot. And he did stuff from all his albums, not only the just-released Fear and Saturday Night.

The Junky Star track “Depression” came second in the set and briefly swept up the entire crowd in a raucous singalong moment. Later, at Bingham’s behest, folks stomped and kicked to the beat of the fiddle-licious Roadhouse Sun song “Tell My Mother I Miss Her So.”

It was affecting to hear Bingham — who has lived mighty hard and dealt with the tragic deaths of both his parents — speak about the meaning of his material.

Before the new tune “Broken Heart Tattoos,” he said, “This isn’t about the tattoos on your skin; it’s about the kind of tattoos that get branded on your [expletive] soul by life.” He then gave the song his best Bob Dylan treatment, complete with acoustic guitar and harmonica.

In the most poignant moment of the night, Bingham sent his band away and did a few acoustic songs, including his Oscar-winning Crazy Heart theme, “The Weary Kind.”

The people had clearly come to party, but for a few minutes there they shut up to take in the imperfect beauty of Bingham’s voice. That voice will likely leave more powerful hangovers than the tallboys.

To those lamenting the absence of Brian Wilson at the upcoming Beach Boys concert at Verizon Theatre, worry not — the 72-year-old legend will be at that venue on his own a few months later. Wilson will arrive at Verizon June 24, to be exact.

His 15-city No Pier Pressure Tour shares the name of an album that Wilson will put out April 7. From the trailer video above, it seems the new LP will border on a tribute collection — everyone from She and Him to Texas’ own Kacey Musgraves joined Wilson in the studio to make it.

The tour will also kick off right around the release of a Hollywood biopic, Love & Mercy. See the trailer below.

In addition to former bandmates Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin helping back Wilson during the upcoming live run, the once-enigmatic Searching for Sugar Man star Rodriguez will open. Should be a whopper of a show. No ticket sale dates yet, but keep tabs on the situation here.

Now that she’s conquered Las Vegas during a blockbuster two-year residency, pop-country record breaker Shania Twain is setting her sights on arenas around the continent. The Canadian superstar will embark on the 48-date “Rock This Country” tour scheduled to hit Dallas’ American Airlines Center on August 10. She’ll be joined at the Dallas stop by opening act Gavin DeGraw.

Twain became a household name in the ’90s with jaw-dropping sales of albums The Woman in Me, Come on Over and Up!, whose singles established her as a pre-Swift crossover sensation. “Any Man of Mine,” “You’re Still the One” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” remain genre-busting highlights.

Tickets for Twain’s Dallas show go on sale March 13, but there will be some earlier presale opportunities at the artist’s website. Until then, enjoy my favorite Shania song, one of her very first singles, below.

With the release of her sixth pop album today (track-by-track review here), Kelly Clarkson is popping up everywhere. This morning she was singing for fans on Good Morning America, and last night she gave Jimmy Fallon yet another of his fantasy musical moments (above).

Since Clarkson’s already on the brain, why not add in a concert announcement? Here we have it: The Piece by Piece Tour will land at Gexa Energy Pavilion on August 30. According to the announcement release, tickets go on sale March 14. Joining the pride of Burleson at the show will be another North Texas entity that’s become ubiquitous in the last year — the pop a capella sensation Pentatonix.

Did you happen to catch D’Angelo with his band, the Vanguard, on Saturday Night Live last night? No? Well, we’ve got you covered. Above you’ll find his first performance, a faithful take on the soft and tender “Really Love” from Black Messiah. When I spotted the hat, I imagined Pharrell’s “I just got one-upped” face, if such a thing exists.

Below is D’Angelo’s flawless second performance, of Black Messiah‘s most referenced socially conscious track, “The Charade.” The dominant visuals here are the message tees and choreographed moves of band members.

The two songs from last night demonstrate well the range of sounds on D’Angelo’s first album in 14 years, surprise-released in December. Recorded to tape with vintage instruments and without a trace of the digital-music revolution present, the album still sounds groundbreaking thanks to the singer’s varying vocal moods and innovative arrangements. It’s also instantly addictive, enough so to justify shelling out extra bucks for the upcoming vinyl edition.

If you’re anything like me, a couple of great SNL performance can inspire an obsessive YouTubing marathon. Here’s where I would go after “Really Love” and “The Charade”: First you should get to know D’Angelo better, and there’s no greater insight to be found than the anecdotes and banter from last May’s Red Bull Music Academy lecture and interview (below).

Stay with the interview for the full 84 minutes. It’s fascinating not only to see D’Angelo interact with moderator Nelson George and close collaborator Questlove, but to hear his unfiltered thoughts on making music.

A few months after the Red Bull interview, D’Angelo was back in New York (with Questlove on drums) to play Brooklyn’s Afropunk festival. He had yet to unveil Black Messiah, but his inspired set made up mostly of cover tunes (from Marley to Prince) could be considered a sonic companion to the album. Ready to lose another hour?

BONUS TRACK: I couldn’t do a D’Angelo post without shouting out Roy Hargrove, the world class musician and Booker T. Washington alum who arranges and plays horns on D’Angelo albums (those are his brassy splashes on the lead Black Messiah single, “Sugah Daddy“). D’Angelo talks about Hargrove’s brilliance in the Red Bull lecture; he’s also guested on a couple of albums by the jazz player’s band, The RH Factor. Cap off your YouTube journey by listening to 2003′s slow-burning collaboration, “I’ll Stay.”

Sufjan Stevens performed at McFarlin Auditorium at Southern Methodist University in Dallas on October 20, 2010. (Nan Coulter/Special Contributor)

Are you thinking of picking up tickets to the experimental folk artist Sufjan Stevens’ concert on May 10 at the Majestic? While we still don’t have an official public sale date, there are some presale tickets already going like hotcakes — all you need in order to partake is the code from Sufjan’s tour site.

While you try that, hit play below to hear the songs that Stevens performed at his show (in the correct order, naturally) in 2010 at SMU’s McFarlin Auditorium. He’d just released his last solo album, The Age of Adz, and the set was filled with its tunes, including one that clocked in at more than 20 minutes. In the afterglow of that weird and wonderful show, I created the Spotify playlist to obsess over and remember the performance later.

Although I’ve enjoyed the side projects and Christmas tunes put out by Stevens since his 2010 album, I’m more than ready to dig into his next set of solo material. Carrie & Lowell, written for and named after Stevens’ mom and stepdad, will hit stores March 31.

Geddy Lee with Rush at American Airlines Center in 2012 (Steve Lee/Special Contributor)

First, a few words from the Mario Tarradell review of Rush’s 2012 concert at American Airlines Center: “It was … a whopping three hours, sliced in half by a 20-minute intermission. For [Neil] Peart, 60, [Geddy] Lee and [Alex] Lifeson, both 59, there is nothing more to prove, yet they deliver anyway.”

Although I’ve never seen the wonder of Rush live (only an eye-rolling cover of “Tom Sawyer” by Imagine Dragons), I’m betting the legendary rock trio will bring as much or more youthful energy to its just announced 40th anniversary tour, R40 Live. Positive reviews abound for the Canadian band’s concerts, and anyone who’s ever seen I Love You, Man has at least an idea of its influence on diehard fans.

The retrospective tour will bring the boys back to American Airlines Center on May 18. Tickets go on sale January 30 — more details here.

Mavis Staples last performed in Dallas at the Majestic last year at a benefit for the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center. (Kirsten Kearse/The Dallas Morning News)

Announced this week: A whopper of a concert at Oak Cliff’s small, comfy Kessler Theater. Mavis Staples — a certified music legend and at age 75 still an unparalleled performing dynamo — will stop in Dallas for a gig March 8. Tickets are on sale now.

I’ve always adored Staples’ voice, but I fell head-over-heels for the woman when I caught her lively set at the 2011 edition of what is now called 35 Denton. I even remember shushing people around me, and I’m not usually an outward shusher.

You’ll find everything from gospel spirituals and inspired rock covers to live show-stoppers and high-profile duets. One thing’s consistent throughout — the no-nonsense, downright possessed voice of an American treasure.

Just hitting the ol’ inbox: the announcement that legendary singer Diana Ross will bring her “In the Name of Love Tour” to Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie on Thursday, February 26. Expect from the production a parade of hits, as recent stops have included gems from the Supremes days (“Baby Love,” “You Can’t Hurry Love”), solo classics (“Love Hangover,” “Upside Down”) and even stuff from The Wiz.

Ross last appeared in Dallas in April at a special event at the Meyerson. This new date should be more of a fleshed out concert. If you can’t wait to see that hair and hear that voice, plan on hitting up AXS.com Friday (January 9) at 10 a.m. to secure your tickets.

Wilco last played Dallas in 2011 at Fair Park Music Hall. (Brad Loper/The Dallas Morning News)

The Americana institution Wilco is taking several months to celebrate its own musical legacy. Jeff Tweedy and company are marking 20 years as a band by compiling an upcoming greatest hits CD, prepping an added release featuring rare recordings and, most importantly, embarking on an anniversary tour.

Until today, we weren’t sure we’d get a look at said tour up close, but now that’s all changed for the better: Wilco announced earlier that it’s adding several dates to the victory run, including a show on April 22 at SMU’s McFarlin Auditorium.

Fleetwood Mac comprises former lovers, ex spouses, longtime friends and a tumultuous biography. Like any musical group that has survived decades of ups and downs, the members must constantly work at it to recapture their old chemistry.

That workmanlike spirit helped to define the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band’s sold-out show on Sunday night at American Airlines Center. Rejoined by vital vocalist and keyboardist Christine McVie after her 16-year-touring hiatus, the Mac leaned in admirably through a two-hour-plus performance that veered from soul-soothing to serviceable and back again.

Understandably, much fanfare was made of McVie’s return: Her warm, familiar vocals provided several highlights, from the smoky seduction of “You Make Loving Fun” to the melodic bliss of ’80s smashes “Everywhere” and “Little Lies.” Despite her solid performance, McVie was never one to bask in the spotlight.

Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham, however, were more than happy to soak up the love of the audience on Sunday. With McVie on keys, her ex-husband, John, on bass and Mick Fleetwood behind his drums for most of the evening, it was up to the group’s two relative “newbies” to do the crowd work.

Buckingham kept the folks up front entertained by harnessing a twenty-something’s energy, frequently screaming out lyrical lines and jumping into rock-god postures. Nicks was simply herself — a twirling and swaying mystical sage armed with raspy power pipes and a streamer-clad tambourine.

When the band took the stage to kick things off with “The Chain,” the entire arena leapt to its feet and folks around me were pointing out Nicks to each other (“There she is!”). The three vocalists, embellished by a set of backup singers, took a full verse and chorus to fully find their harmonic sweet spot.

Nicks continued to get better and better throughout the night, at first avoiding the highest notes on “Dreams” and “Rhiannon,” but later reaching the mountaintops on “Gypsy” and the spine-tingling classic, “Gold Dust Woman.” She and Buckingham shined during what was essentially an intermission for the rest of the band — a three-song mini-set consisting of “Big Love,” “Landslide” and “Never Going Back Again.” All spotlighted Buckingham’s acoustic finger-picking skills, while the middle song benefited from Nicks’ refreshingly unsentimental vocal delivery.

As other legacy bands are wont to do, Fleetwood Mac’s players introduced a few of their songs by recalling elements of the band’s backstory. Nicks charmed while explaining the origins of the first line of “Gypsy.” Buckingham spoke to how certain tunes’ meanings have changed for him over the years. McVie got the biggest laugh of the evening while introducing “Over My Head”: “This goes back to the days when John and I were still married. Remember that, John?”

Thirty or so dates into their current tour, now might be a good time for the Mac to consider making a few edits. For instance, unnecessary drum and guitar solos during “I’m So Afraid” significantly slowed down the pace toward the end of the show, a point when most acts would try to speed it up. And then came another odd drum solo during the encore set. Fleetwood shut his eyes, played a variety of rhythms and screamed at the crowd like a madman — it seemed indulgent, even if it might have given folks one more chance to hit the beer stands.

My few complaints probably won’t register with diehard fans of Fleetwood Mac. Anyone who delights in the band’s unique blend of creative voices would have been thrilled to hear Buckingham toast “a poetic, profound and prolific new chapter” from the stage.

A new album is expected next year, as well as a second leg of the On With the Show tour (it returns to AAC on March 4). If that means I’ll get to see Nicks twirl in the shadows one more time, sign me up.

Fans of superstar country singer Jason Aldean were sent home early in the rain on Saturday night by Gexa Energy Pavilion without a chance to see their man take the stage.

After Gexa filled up during performances by opening acts Thomas Rhett and Jake Owen, the threat of heavy lightning just before 9:30 p.m. prompted the outdoor venue to ask the crowd packed into its lawn section to wait out the weather in their cars. But the threats didn’t subside quickly enough, prompting a cancellation announcement heard ’round the venue that was met with exasperated boos.

Headliner Aldean tweeted as his diehards filed out and drove away, “Sorry we had to cancel Dallas tonite. Not my decision!!!! Was lookin forward to the last nite of the tour. Promise we will be back ASAP.”

Saturday’s show was the final scheduled stop of Aldean’s monthslong Night Train tour. Before the weather spoiled the party, main opener Owen strutted around like a poor man’s McConaughey and put more energy into showing off his Central Casting looks than actually singing. Hardly an adequate substitute for the earnest, rural-life anthems of Aldean, but hey, at least Live Nation is providing refunds. Official cancellation announcement follows:

DALLAS, TX (October 26, 2013) Gexa Energy Pavilion regrets to announce that tonight’s Jason Aldean performance has been cancelled due to severe thunderstorms and continuous lightning in Dallas on Saturday night. … All Night Train Tour tickets for the October 26th Dallas show will be refunded at point of purchase.

Newlywed Bobby Brown (forefront right), who left or was kicked out according to who you want to believe during his and Ralph Tresvant's (second from right) onstage banter (funny), came out to a separate introduction about four songs in.

It felt as if it would be a good night when even the comedian opening Friday night’s show — C Dawg, “spelled the country way” — kept the audience laughing. New Edition turned out to be everything expected, and more.

Precise dance moves, dapper attire, smooth voices and those shows within a show you always hope you’ll get when all six (!) tour. Let’s call this group of six, “Newest Edition,” with everything old feeling decidedly new again. Bobby Brown came out about four songs in, during “Hit Me Off,” to a separate introduction. Johnny Gill left the stage as the group sang their early hits. Gill came back triumphantly to the strains of his own starmaking turn, “My My My.” Everyone stayed on stage to back the others as they in turn performed their hit songs: Gill blew through “My My My” with his signature hurricane force, right into Bobby Brown with a heartfelt rendition of “Tenderoni,” and then BBD with “I Apologize” right into Ralph Tresvant with “Sensitivity.” It was almost sensory overload. Wait, but there’s more …

When you hear thunder and rain, you know you’ve entered the Johnny Gill era of New Edition; he exited the stage before a revue of NE’s early songs “Jealous Girl,” “Is This the End,” “Popcorn Love” (Jackson 5 alert!)” and “Mr. Telephone Man.”

“Can You Stand the Rain” brought what should have been a minor costume change, but it signaled a major shift in tone. Everyone now wore a wide-brim black hat a la Bobby, “Boys to Men,” indeed.

Everyone had a new album to promote. Gill subdued the crowd with his new single (the better to hear you with, my dear) and offered up Brown’s Masterpiece (out early this month; his very modern single prompted a rush to concessions). But, gasp, coming out soon will be new CDs from Ralph Tresvant and BBD!

It hurts my brain to think of the underlying politics of being in a group with so many solo stars, now together on the road since December of 2011. But they managed to show off all their personalities: Brown made one nod to his bad-boy image and one nod of thanks for “having my family’s back — the Brown family — and [his ex-wife, deceased supernova Whitney] Houston family’s back.” And then, clicking his heels in the air, he rejoined his mates. Johnny Gill reminded folks of that hammer of a voice. Bel Biv DeVoe reminded everyone of their incessant energy and their ability to take over with one word: “Poison.” Ralph Tresvant — in earlier shows definitely front and center — reminded everyone of smooth.

Some acts from the 80s and 90s are going backward to go forward, finding touring strength in numbers. Unlike opener El DeBarge, who lacked focus and almost lost the crowd with hype-man antics before settling into “Second Chance,” New Edition is no different. Even the opening comedian — C Dawg, “spelled the country way” — talked about shared childhood memories and kept the audience seated, a rare feat.

But New Edition, with almost 30 years under their belts and a kinetic show, makes it much less than rocket science to determine they will always have a future in touring. Viva Las Vegas, anyone?

It all but ruled during his packed concert Wednesday night at Gexa Energy Pavilion. Canada’s Aubrey Drake Graham performed for 90 minutes. He kept his “Club Paradise Tour” moving fast, especially considering he crammed five opening acts – French Montana, 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, Waka Flocka Flame and J. Cole – into a show that lasted less than four hours.

Drake, surrounded by a wall of squared video panels and a full band, kept the energy up and the crowd of 16,400 panting. Particularly the women. There’s no doubt that a large part of Drake’s appeal is that photogenic look. The ladies in the audience spanned ages and ethnicities. A couple of them in front of me showed Drake some love with lifted hands in a heart shape. One lady took advantage of the opportunity when the rapper’s cameraman turned his lens on the throng and completely bared her breasts for the big video screen. Everybody got a good look at her assets.

That just put more sizzle in Drake’s steam. He seemed determined to crush the cutie pie reputation by cursing every time he spoke to his fans. He also held his own while sharing the stage with guests. Waka Flocka Flame re-emerged for “Round of Applause.” Montana came back out for “Stay Schemin’,” and 2 Chainz joined him during “We’ll Be Fine.” Mostly, though, Drake kept at the mike solo for his many songs originally recorded as collaborations with a slew of rappers – Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Eminem, Young Jeezy and Kanye West, to name a few.

What Drake lacks as a rapper, his reedy tone does undercut his power, he more than compensates in sheer timing. He’s got a flair for drama thanks to his extensive acting background. He knew when to make imposing pauses, and his stance had that stage presence thing down pat. Plus, he made sure to keep the “Club Paradise” theme going throughout the gig. Drake created the mood with his words, helping the masses visualize the heavenly venue.

The set heavily focused on 2011′s Take Care, but also highlighted 2010′s Thank Me Later and 2009′s So Far Gone. One especially memorable performance was “Take Care,” a ballad that slowed down the pace and upped the sultry ambiance. With cigarette lighters and cell phones illuminated, plus Drake’s guitarist turning out a sexy solo riff, the song detailed yet another artistic dimension.

The clean-cut pin-up and foul-mouthed bad boy is a lover, too. Female hormones everywhere are raging.

Welcome to Jane’s Addiction theater. The Theater of the Escapists Tour, that is. It’s a sanctuary for freaks and fetishes. A barn-like facade featured two nude women sitting on a water wheel. Three large video screens showed everything from expansive shots of oceanic wonder to a film of bondage rituals. A pair of pin-up ladies served as window dressing, acrobats and teasing toys.

The band’s entire 90-minute set Thursday night at McFarlin Auditorium had more than a naughty undertone. That’s been part of the Jane’s Addiction allure since its inception in the mid ’80s. Lead singer and mastermind Perry Farrell took a breadthy alt-rock sound and married it with an off-kilter penchant for underground artiness and downtown sleaze. Who can forget the naked female conjoined twins on the cover of 1988′s Nothing’s Shocking?

The current trek, with guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Chris Chaney, supports 2011′s The Great Escape Artist, Jane’s Addiction first album of new material since 2003. Farrell and company cranked out three tracks from the latest disc, including the booming opener “Underground” and the slightly macabre “Twisted Tales.” Farrell and Navarro, both shirtless for most of the gig, played well off each other as they frequently strutted for the crowd at the foot of the platform. Perkins and Chaney kept the rhythms tight, muscular and gargantuan.

Particularly during a most percussive renditon of “Chip Away” that had Navarro, Perkins and Chaney pounding tom drums as Farrell wailed relentlessly. Farrell has one of those love-it-or-loathe-it voices, but he manges to make it work because the songs are as peculiarly soaring as his tone. He truly is quite a sinewy frontman. The guy moves like a snake on a caffeine bender. He’s a marvel to watch.

The audience naturally came alive during the older tunes. “Mountain Song” immediately got them on their feet as marijuana smoke wafted up to the balcony. “Been Caught Stealing,” with its tribal bombast, had them dancing in the seats.

Jane’s Addiction did amp the energy quotient as the show progressed. Farrell turned more affable with each passing minute. He bumped fists, shook hands, even allowed one woman from the audience to caress his bare chest before she was removed by security. He was caught up in the nocturnal mood during his very own freak show.

Dallas-reared Norah Jones, fresh from the release of her stunning new album, Little Broken Hearts, heads over to her onetime hometown Oct. 22 for a concert at McFarlin Auditorium inside Southern Methodist University.

Tickets for the show, part of the fall leg of her 2012 tour, will go on sale for fan club members May 11 at 10 a.m. through midnight May 13. The general public sale date is May 18 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster. Prices are $60.55-$71.32.

Little Broken Hearts, an eerie song cycle co-written and produced by Danger Mouse (AKA Brian Burton), debuted at No. 2 on Billboard‘s pop albums chart with first week sales of 110,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Check out my CD review here.

Photo: Norah Jones poses for a portrait in New York last month (AP Photo/Charles Sykes).

This summer is shaping up to be one of the busiest Dallas-Fort Worth concert seasons ever. No joke. And it’s all star wattage. Here are the latest two announcements:

Linkin Park, Incubus, Mutemath: To support the upcoming release of its new album, Living Things, which is out June 26, Linkin Park will embark on a co-headlining tour with Incubus that features special guests Mutemath. The three bands stop Aug. 27 at Gexa Energy Pavilion in Dallas. Tickets go on sale April 28 at 10 a.m. at livenation.com. Lawn seats are $31, reserved seats start at $36.50, $16.50 early bird lawn seats are available for a limited time.

Marc Anthony, Chayanne and Marco Antonio Solis: Huge Latin pop show here featuring three superstars of the genre. Dubbed the “Gigant3s” tour, Anthony, Chayanne and Solis park it Sept. 2 at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Tickets go on sale April 27 at 10 a.m. at livenation.com. Prices start at $46.

Even from the far end of the room that Korn stage was a marvel to behold. Long rectangular video screens flanked the band, which spread out on the sprawling platform at Palladium Ballroom. Drummer Ray Luzier’s kit was mammoth. Not only did it include two bass drums, but the entire set towered over lead singer Jonathan Davis and Korn members James “Munky” Shaffer, Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu as well as touring players Wes Geer and Zac Baird.

Then you have Davis’ famed microphone stand, a curvy female figure that incited mini-hysteria the moment roadies propped it onto center stage. Plus, the beautifully frenetic lighting was both colorful and calculated.

The large crowd was ready to rock hard on a Monday night. Korn did not disappoint. The best way to gauge the success of this show is to note how well the new material fared before those diehard fans. The Path of Totality, released in December 2011, finds Korn collaborating with dubstep and drum-and-bass musicians, DJs and producers. The record takes the Korn sound – hard metal textured with grunge and hip-hop – and laces it with bassy electronics.

For the complete Korn concert review, go to my column page or pick up the Arts & Life section Wednesday.

If you like your classic rock with horns and plenty of southern soul, then this is your concert: Chicago and the Doobie Brothers stop July 21 at Gexa Energy Pavilion. Tickets go on sale March 16 at 10 a.m. via livenation.com. Prices are $16-$176. A limited number of early bird special tickets will be on sale for $11 for lawn and select reserved seats.

Both Chicago and the Doobie Brothers continue to record in addition to the yearly touring. Chicago released O Christmas Three, the group’s third collection of holiday favorites, in 2011 while the Doobie Brothers gave us the studio album World Gone Crazy in 2010. The 2012 co-headlining tour encompasses 20 cities.

Photo: Chicago performing last December at the Allen Event Center in Allen, Texas (Matt Strasen/Special Contributor).